The love in trees
by Sand n' Sable
Summary: What Albert did for a friend.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N-In the show, 'The Craftsman', Albert was a apprentice for a Jewish carpenter.**

**Mr. Singerman, and the man had planted a gorgeous oak tree that had grown and bloomed to perfection and Albert did the same for the man when he died. This is my story on the love those trees gave then in 1885 and now in 2010.**

A young couple, a girl with dark brown/chestnut hair and brown puppy dog eyes and a sparkling laugh has her arms in twined with her fiancée's hard body. They run up to the two trees that seem to look as a archway. He kisses her neck tenderly and she looks into his soft caramel colored eyes and she runs her fingers through his auburn locks and she gives him a quick peck then runs from him laughing and he says:

"Oh, you want to play do you?"

She laughs and she begins to run around the tree then she see a old heart shaped drawing on the tree. Her lover sees her stop and trace the initials—'I.S. Loves A.S'

And how it is encased in a rough heart and she says softly:

"There is love in this"

He looks curiously and says:

"Well, sure. Whoever drew this loved the woman"

She turns to him and says:

"No, not just the act of showing love in this. You can feel the love radiating from this tree"

He laughs then asks:

"Are you being a psychic?"

She laughs and says:

"Maybe"

She kisses him then after a few silent moments, she says:

"I want to get married here"

He looks at her then asks:

"Here? Are you sure?"

She looks around and nods her head yes and says:

"It's beautiful here"

He nods his head in agreement then says:

"It is that. Fine, we'll get married here"

She jumps up in his arms and they twirl around and laugh then he puts her down and they begin a chase again.

**A/N—Please imagine, if you will, the slow strings of a violin playing in the background.**


	2. Chapter 2 Protector

The girl with the chestnut hair is in her kitchen with her coffee mug in hand and she goes outside in her lovely yellow bathrobe and picks up the newspaper tossed on her front walk.

She picks it up and goes inside, she goes to her modest kitchen and sits down to read the newspaper. With boredom, she opens the newspaper up and starts to scan through the pages when she hears a knock on her kitchen window.

It's her fiancée and she smiles and signals for him to come in. He smiles at seeing her in the early morning light and he goes over and kisses her hair then he goes over and gets him a coffee mug from the shelf and pours him a cup then goes and sits down by her and asks,

"Any thing interesting?"

She answers,

"Not really. Just the usual political stuff..."

She turns a page and sees a picture of a man standing by the tree the she was just at and she says,

"Wait, look...look at this"

He bends over and looks at the picture and says,

"That's the tree we were just at yesterday" "Yes, and it says here that our city council is trying to decide whether to tear that old tree down because they may be building a new highway through there" "Through there? That's stupid when there's a perfectly good one not five miles from there"

She nods her head and says,

"I know" "Does it say when they are going to tear it down?" "No, they haven't decided"

"Well, I hope we can get married by it before they do"

She folds up the paper and gets up and starts to leave the kitchen when her fiancée asks:

"Where are you going?" "I'm going to find out more about that tree. Something is telling me that they can't tear it down and I'm going to prove it!"

He just rolls his eyes and says,

"Alexis..." "Yes, I'm Alexis, my name means protector and I'm going to protect!"

She storms off leaving her fiancée in the kitchen.


	3. Chapter 3 An idea

Alexis came in the door of her house and she was still holding the newspaper she was reading earlier that has the picture and article of the tree the town is planning to cut down.

He fiancée sits on the couch watching TV, he clicks off the remote and asks Alexis,

"Well, what did they tell you?"

She finally looks up and sees him and she says,

"Oh, they said I need to find some significant historical proof that tree has in the town or it's going to be cut down like any other tree" "Oh, so what are you going to do now?"

She sits down, puts the paper on the coffee table then says,

"I don't know"

She looks at him and asks,

"What are you doing here?" "I thought I would come over and get lunch started" "Oh, thank you" "In fact, I'll go make something now, what do you want?"

Alexis has her mind in deep thought then he repeats himself,

"Alexis, what do you want?"

"Huh? Oh, something light"

He looks back into the kitchen and then looks back at her and says,

"I think I'll make chicken salad sandwiches" "Oh, thank you Forrest"

He goes back into the kitchen and she remains deep in thought. She picks up the newspaper then after a few minutes, her face brightens up and she says,

"I'll be back in a little while Forrest"

He comes out wiping his hands on a dish towel then says,

"Hey! I almost have this done!" "Don't worry, I'll be back shortly" "Where are you going?" "I got a idea"

She remembers the newspaper and she goes to get it then flies out the door with Forrest shaking his head.


	4. Chapter 4 Love tree

**A/N-I wasn't going to write this because I'm as sick as a dog but I'm slightly better so I thought I would write this down. I'm breaking down this chapter so I can keep it bite size. Let me know what you think.**

Alexis stood in front of a large building with four large columns in front and glass double doors and she turns her had and reads a brass plate sign that's drilled to the brick walls and it says-'Walnut Grove public library' and she takes a breath and goes in and goes straight to the large desk that has several workers and she goes to a older woman then asks,

"Um, excuse me, can you help me?"

The lady looks at her and kindly says,

"Yes?"

Alexis hands her the newspaper with the picture of the tree with the man standing beside it and she asks,

"What can you tell me about this tree? do you know anything about it?"

The elderly woman looks at the paper then puts her glasses on then says,

"Yes! Yes! I thought I recognized it! That's the 'Love Tree'" "What?" "Yes, it's been rumored that ever since it was planted along beside another tree that's nearby, whoever gets proposed; the marriage will last and there's been lots of proposes and marriages by that tree…."

The woman then lowers her voice into a whisper then says,

"And I'm one of them…been married 40 years!"

Alexis and the librarian share a laugh together then Alexis asks her,

"Do you know who this man is?"

The woman looks closely at the picture then says,

"No, can't recall him but let's go take a look at some old newspaper clipping, surely we can find something"

They go off in search of the old clippings and files from yesteryear.


	5. Chapter 5 Getting help

**Disclaimer-I own nothing of 'Little House' or the characters. This is just a little story I have in my head and can't get out so I use Fanfiction to play.**

Alexis and the librarian go down the hall to a section of the library and she sees a sign that says 'Archive section'. The librarian opens a door and Alexis sees a small table with a machine then she goes over to a drawer and pulls out a small disc then says,

"Our records only go back to the 1940's, I'm sorry but I am sure from my memory that there will be something"

Alexis and the librarian go through disk after disk on the machine looking at news from the early part of 1940's then finally she picks up one that says 'Spring of 1942' and puts it in and on the 2nd page of the Walnut Grove newspaper is a picture of a young man in a handsome three piece suit of that time.

He stands beside the tree and the words in the article says-

'The town of Walnut Grove welcomes its newest doctor. Doctor Alvin Ingalls. He will be setting up his office soon and he promises to give quality care to each and every person'

The article may say more but Alexis turns to the kind librarian and she notices that her name badge says Mrs. Peterson and she asks,

"Is this doctor still in town?"

Mrs. Peterson looks at the picture and smiles then says,

"Doctor Ingalls? Yes, he's still here but he's just retired last year" "Where can I find him?" "He lives on Long Blossom Road." "Thank you Ma'am"

Alexis happily gets up and goes out in search of the good doctor.

****A/N—I started to go with another name but Alvin was my grandfather. No, he wasn't a doctor, he fought forest fires.**


	6. Chapter 6 A walk in Walnut Grove

**A/N-This story goes out to Dr. Michaela Quinn as a belated birthday present. You go girl!**

Alexis had picked up a phone book from the librarian's desk and found Alvin Ingalls exact address on Long Blossom road. It was 8283 West Long Blossom road. Not very far from where she was at.

She could have called but she felt this matter was best to handle in person.

It was a beautiful day in Walnut Grove. The sun was shining brightly and she felt a cool breeze and as she was enjoying the day…something strange happened. She heard children giggling but when she looked around she saw no one and she knew by the time on her watch the children of the town would still be in school.

She shrugged her shoulders and said to herself,

"I must be imaging things, hearing things"

So she gives no thought and just goes on to Alvin's house, two blocks away.

She finally came to the house, a quaint house made of wooden board painted white with a screened in porch with a swing inside of it. She smiled and knocked on the screen door and waited.

Eventually, a older man, one about in his 70's came out with a kind face weathered with age but still a spark of childlike kindness in his eyes comes out and opens the door and says.

"Yes, May I help you?"

Alexis smiles and puts out her hand and says,

"Hello, my name is Alexis. Are you Doctor Alvin Ingalls?" "Yes I am, how can I help you?"

She starts to hand him the newspaper article with the picture of the tree in it.


	7. Chapter 7 The Journal

Alexis hands the newspaper to Alvin and she says,

"Please look at this and tell me what you can"

He gets out his glasses and looks at the picture and says,

"The love tree!" "Have you read this article?"

He looks at her and says,

"Not until just now when you showed me this, I don't read the newspaper often"

Alexis shifts her weight on her foot being a little nervous and she asks,

"What can you tell me about this tree?"

A slow smile comes to him as he remembers this tree and Alexis can almost see the memories coming back to him in his eyes and he tells her,

"This tree has a lifetime of memories for me. My grandfather and I spent many a time around it. But I have something that could really tell you" "What?"

He turns around and signals for her to follow him with the crook of his finger. They go inside the house and she sees a grand formal living room with nice furniture but that's not what she notices most. The pictures! Pictures of family surround the room.

But she continues to follow him down the stairs leading to the basement and he says.

"I could tell you more but I think this will help you better" "What?"

He opens the basement door and he goes into the room and looks around then finally picks up a box and says,

"Well, in this box is a journal that my grandfather kept all his life. He talks about the tree" "Your grandfather kept a journal?"

As he rummages around the box he asks her.

"Have you heard of Laura Ingalls Wilder?" "I've heard the name but never read the books" "Well, that was my great aunt and she encouraged my grandfather to keep his memories written down, he didn't want to be a writer but he wrote things down, kept this all his life"

He hands her the small journal that's filled with Albert's words and she touches the antique book carefully and he asks,

"Can I ask why you are interested?"

She looks up at him and thinks on that.


	8. Chapter 8 Alexis reads the Journal

Alexis looked up at Alvin and she thought about it, why she was protecting the tree so fiercely and she said,

"I don't really know, something is just telling me to do it. Protect it, save it"

Alvin then says,

"Well, read the diary little lady and maybe you can find something in there you can use"

She does, she opens the book and reads words telling her about Albert first making friends with the Ingalls in the big city of Winoka. Becoming friends with a boy named Andy Garvy, going to school for truly the first time.

How they moved back to Walnut Grove, his up and down life there, how the Ingalls adopted him. That was the best day ever when he became a Ingalls.

But then something catches her eyes. She reads about him going to work for a Jewish carpenter named Isaac…Singerman? How he taught Albert the Jewish custom of when a person dies, you bury a acorn to grow a tree to give back to the earth…how he buried Mister Singerman by his wife under the tree!

She then looks up at Alvin and asks,

"There is somebody buried up there?"

He thinks on that for a minute then says,

"I had forgotten about that little lady but if my grandfather did show them to me I recall now."

She gets excited and he heart begins to race and she says,

"Oh, thank you Mister Ingalls! You don't know how happy you made me!" "Call me Alvin and you're welcome"

She hugs him and gives him back the diary then turns to leave but before she leaves she asks,

"If I need to, can I call you and you bring the diary?" "Of coarse" "Thank you!"

She races out of there and Alvin turns around and reads the diary with crystal tears in his eyes.


	9. Chapter 9 Forrest comes to help

Alexis walks out of Alvin's house full of excitement and apprehension in her and she gets her cell phone and out of her pocket and dials a number then after a few rings, she says,

"Forrest, this is Alexis. I need your help…don't ask, just met me out by the tree and bring the digital camera."

She punches the off button and feels better than she has in a long time.

Alexis walks back to where her car is in front of the library, she looks around at the trees, the blue sky above and hears the birds singing and she smiles.

She is there at the place where the tree is in 10 minutes and she waits impatiently for her fiancé. He finally shows up in his car five minutes later. They both get out and he gives her the camera and she kisses him on the cheek.

He then asks her,

"Are you going to tell me what this is about?"

A twinkle comes to her eye as she checks the camera and with a nod of her head tells him,

"I found out several things, first of all, the locals call this tree the 'Love tree'. Whoever gets married under or by this tree, the marriage lasts!"

Forrest smiles and asks,

"What else?"

She points to the trees and says,

"I met the grandson of the man who planted one of the trees and there is two bodies buried up here!" "Two?" He asks,

"Yes, a man and his wife….I want us to look for their tombstones which have fallen and is covered up by the grass, come on"

They both head out for the trees with determination in their minds and hearts.


	10. Chapter 10 Finding the graves

**A/N-One of my readers, Ultimatelaurafan, her mother's birthday is today so this chapter is dedicated to her. Happy birthday Chris!**

Alexis and Forrest went diligently searching for the headstones for the graves, at first they looked for them at the base of the two trees and carefully moved their way inward. There they barely saw them! One of them was so old, splintered in several sections, that it was hard to read the name.

Forrest and Alexis pulled up the rest of the grass in a great effort to find the other one. They finally see it, Alexis can barely contain her excitement! She gets out the digital camera and carefully takes two close up pictures of each headstone, one clearly says Isaac Singerman and the other one is still barely legible but the last name clearly says Singerman so she knows that is the wife.

Then she backs up and takes one of them together. Forrest asks,

"Do you think those will do it?"

She says with a slight tremble in her voice,

"We'll just have to see. I can't wait to get these printed!"

Forrest says,

"Let's get back to the house"

They both race to their individual cars and race for home.

**A/N—I looked up the episode on Youtube and never found the name for the wife. I THINK it was Anna but I'm not sure. If you happen to know, let me know!**


	11. Chapter 11 Saving & planning

Alexis jumps onto Forrest in excitement as soon as he opens the door and she squeals,

"We did it! We saved the trees!"

Forrest leans back and puts his hand in the air and says,

"All right!"

He puts her down on the floor then he asks,

"What happened?"

A gleam comes in her eyes and she goes over to the couch and takes off her dress jacket and puts the pictures of the trees and graves she took on the glass coffee table then she says,

"Well, they were all there and you could tell they were not happy with this emergency meeting and they started to argue their reasons for cutting the trees down but then I just showed them these pictures and well, that was it"

Forrest looks confused then asks,

"That was it? Nothing more?"

She sits down, brushes her hair out of her eyes and explains,

"Well, that and the fact that two of the committee members are superstitious and when they saw that there was two graves up there, they didn't want to mess with it. No matter what! And one of them was a sweet old lady who didn't want it taken down anyway for sentimental reasons! So…"

She pulls Forrest down by her on the couch and she says,

"Looks like we got ourselves a wedding to plan!" "It seems so. Look, I'm sorry I wasn't with you before the committee, my mother called with a 'emergency' and I had to go"

She waves it away and says,

"It's okay. We saved our wedding spot and now let's get on to the fun stuff!"

He leans in to give her a passionate kiss then she pulls out a wedding book for them to start making plans.

**A/N—We're going to a wedding!**


	12. Chapter 12 Mazol Tov

**A/N-This chapter will be somewhat longer ( it is a wedding after all ) and if you remember this story started with Mister Singerman, being Jewish planted a tree in what he said was a Jewish tradition when someone dies so I thought to tie it up, Alexis and Forrest would be Jewish. If I have anything wrong in this Jewish wedding, please forgive me, I have tried to do my research.**

Alexis and Forrest stood under the _chuppah ( wedding canopy ) _ with the rabbi and he was reading the _Ketubah ( marriage contract )_ .

The wedding is being held by the trees. The guests were many. Alvin Ingalls, the

librarian who helped and many other people of the community and friends and family.

The wedding is being held gracefully. Alexis wore beautifully a beautiful white dress with

veil gently covering her face. Forrest stood proudly beside her in a handsome tuxedo with a Jewish satin _Kippah ( Jewish head covering )._

The Rabbi beautifully said the words to bind them together, and they exchanged rings. At the end of the ceremony, the groom did the breaking of the glass and then everyone said:

"Mazel Tov!" The Jewish word for good luck in the marriage.

Alexis and Forrest kiss gently then turned around to the crowd and the Rabbi said, "I present Mister and Mrs. Forrest Goldin!"

The wedding party is held just on the other side of the trees and the traditional Jewish dances were done. Everything was going as planned and then the Rabbi comes over to Alexis and Forrest who are greeting their guests and he says,

"Alexis! Forrest! Shalom! This is such a beautiful day and a perfect spot for the wedding"

Alexis smiles and she says,

"Thank you Rabbi"

He looks over at the graves and he asks her,

"Tell me, did you know that the Singerman's were Jewish when you started this task you did?"

She smiles and says, "No I didn't but it sure didn't hurt did it?"

They all laugh and he says,

"And it's such a wonderful thing you did my child, so wonderful for everybody"

Just then someone calls the Rabbi from the crowd and Forrest looks at her curiously

Then he asks, "What does he mean?"

She smiles then says, "This property? I bought it. Nobody will ever have to worry again about that tree being cut down. And I was hoping we could build a house over there?"

She points to a ridge of beautiful trees outlining the property and he smiles then gathers her up in a hug.

{

We then see Alexis and Forrest sipping hot chocolate in front of a roaring fire in Aspen, Colorado on their honeymoon.

**A/N-Please imagine that beautiful violin music that was played at the beginning of this story.**

**I have enjoyed this story and I have so enjoyed each and every one of my reviewers!**


End file.
